More Than Just My Master
by BleedingSapphireShadows
Summary: Ciel's smile...something I had never seen before...why did I want it so badly?
1. Chapter 1

MORE THAN JUST MY MASTER:

I can't believe this all started with one slice of chocolate cake. But it _did_. I brought him dessert as usual, and I decided on a very special chocolate cake, one made with real chocolate and extra milk… My master _smiled_ as he ate it, bathed in the mixture of moonlight and orange glow from the fireplace, but the glow of his smile lit up the room. He looked so sweet….

But seeing his smile…the way his lips seemed so soft and sweet…the way it made him look so delicate and like a whole new person, one who could actually _feel_ love and happiness….

I could never get that smile out of my mind. _Weeks_ went by. I was just trying to find some occasion, an excuse to give cake to him again. I knew I couldn't give him the cake every night or it wouldn't be special anymore...but it was official. All I wanted was his smile. All I wanted was that kind face, the master I had seen that night who could love someone…

-x-X-x-

"Elizabeth! _Stop_ it! _Right_ now! ELIZABETH! STOP!"

"But, Ciel…"

"STOP."

"But I'm just trying to make things cute and pretty…"

"DON'T. This is MY house, MY MANSION to be more exact, and I CAN'T work with you redecorating _every single room_ in this _awful_ pink color, and I CANNOT put my life on pause to clean up after every mess you leave behind! Nor can I have Sebastian working his butt off to accommodate you when there have been three more crime sprees and two major robberies that we've got to get though! Now either this _stops_ or I _ban_ you from this manor!"

"Ciel…Ciel...you're _always_ working! _Always_! You _never_ make time for me! Instead you just spend all day with that _butler_ and you do whatever the Queen says without a second thought for _me_! You don't care about me! And pink is _not_ awful! This is going to be my house too some day when we're married-"

"You know what Elizabeth? WRONG. If you don't like how I act and don't understand that _all_ you do is cause problems for me, then this engagement is OFF. Now get OUT of_ my_ home."

And thus, my master became single again.

-X-x-X

It took a day or so for me to realize he was now single though…I guess because he never really seemed 'not-single' to begin with…

And the same day I realized was the same day he asked for more of that special chocolate cake. While I made it, something else dawned on me too…

_He considered _me _when he argued with Elizabeth…and she was right…if I wasn't cleaning or cooking, I was right there beside my master. Did…did he place me as more important than her when he fought with her? _Was_ I more important to him?_

Before I had time to fully think about it, the cake was done. I had prepared a small, personal-sized one for the convenience of my master. But as I brought it up to him, the suspicion that that he cared grew deeper and deeper.

I opened the door to his study.

I set the cake down on his desk.

"Sebastian…" he had his chair facing the window, but I could still make out his voice.

"Yes?"

"I…I'm sorry. I made you go through all that trouble…cleaning and cleaning every day to fix what she'd done, just to dump her in the end…I'm sorry."

My doubts were erased. He _did_ care about me.

Some spark ignited within me, taking its first breath and coming to life like a sleeping dragon deep in my heart, "There's nothing to be sorry for. I am one hell of a butler, a butler of the Phantomhive family. If I couldn't keep up with her, it would be a disgrace to your family." I knew I was only saying it to buy me the time I needed to figure out what this feeling was….

Whatever it was, it was coursing through me like lava in my veins. It was burning, so intensely now that it almost hurt…

_He cares about me more than his own (ex-) fiancée…he _really _does…._

"Sebastian? You seem distracted? Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh…yes, yes I'm fine, thank you."

My breath caught, anticipating…

He picked up the fork, he cut into the cake, he took the piece he had cut, chewed, swallowed…

And smiled.

I didn't know what was happening to me….

I walked over to him, noting a slight smudge of frosting, and I came in for whatever my body was mindlessly seeking.

Ciel tensed in his chair, gripping the armrests, his eyes sealing shut, and what I wanted hit me as soon as I licked away the frosting.

I _wanted_ my master. Even if it was totally unrealistic, totally inappropriate,…I wanted him.

I could hear his breath, the way he was taking air in rapid gasps, the way his breath caught as I slowly let my lips meet his…

I felt his arms wrap around my neck, and shock rocketed through the back of my mind as he pulled me in closer. It felt like life had finally slowed and _finally _let me enjoy something.

I wanted needed my master. This boy…no, this man, this young male…

Was he more than my master though?


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning beside my master. He had asked me to sleep next to him, and it was hopeless to disobey him. And not just because of our contract.

I had _wanted_ to stay. For the first time in weeks, I _wouldn't_ spend the night feeling lonely ever since I first saw his smile, lonely and _begging_ for his companionship. If he had gone his whole life begging for companionship, I could easily see why he had lost his smile.

But…I _found_ it! I _found_ his smile for him, and I wasn't even trying to.

Even so, part of me was stirring with distress. I kissed him, and he kissed back…

I had never been so close to anyone. And for the life of me, I didn't even know I could be, that my heart was _capable_ of fluttering and doing back flips. Sure, _I _was, but my _heart_? Needless to say…

What did it mean that my heart was going so crazy? What did that _mean_? What was happening to me? This had _never_ happened before…!

Slowly, I felt my bo-chan stir, his head moving from my chest.

"Sebastian…" his eyes were still a bit sleepy as they met mine.

I slipped a hand onto his cheek, "Yes?"

He smiled even more, my heart picking up to an alarming pace, "I…I love you…I used to think I could feel this way about Elizabeth…but she never understood me. She was too innocent. And I didn't quite care for that. I grew up too fast, she never grew up at all. You though…you've _always_ been there for me. I can't imagine what it would be like to go on without you now…"

"Bo-chan, isn't it…a bit…sudden to say that?"

His eyebrows knit, "I suppose it _could_ be, but I'm pretty sure of this. Love is a feeling that I'll never be unsure of. I used to feel it all the time when I was a kid. And now…" he smiled again, "I can feel it again…it's a different love, but it's still love. And it's attached to you, Sebastian."

His sapphire eye and his violet eye both gleamed at me like precious gems. For once in his life, he seemed happy…

God, this was the Ciel I had _always_ wanted to see…_cheerful, loving, tender…._

But now that he was here, waiting for me, could I bring myself to take him?

"Sebastian?" his inquiring voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, bo-chan?"

"Are you okay? You seem unsettled…."

"I'm fine. I'm just…thinking."

"About what?"

"About us."

I had not been prepared to hear those words come out of my mouth in this context. 'Us', as in us together…as in 'couple' together…like…lovers….

"What's troubling you? Are…are you regretting yesterday? The kissing?" his voice and face started to turn into that familiar look of being worried.

"What? _No…!_ Ciel…Ciel…you have no idea how much you've come to mean to me. I…I'd rather have Grell chop off my arm than take away your happiness…and I know that being with me seems to make you happier than anything else."

"But…?"

I took in a deep sigh, "But I'm not sure what this feeling in me is. It…it cares about you…it wants to protect you…it wants to spend an eternity beside you…and…it wants you like vanilla wants ice cream. But I've never felt this way before…I didn't even know I could…."

"Sebby…it sounds like you're just…confused. Let me help…."

He stirred, sliding a leg over both of mine and straddling me, a playful yet serious gleam in his eye.

"Bo-chan…bo-chan! I…I am _not_ ready for…for you to…give yourself to me just yet…"

"I wasn't about to…" his gaze became even more playful, "But…" he laid his small, light body down on top of mine, resting his palms on my chest and his head on his hands, "I think we're ready to talk about things…I think we're ready to talk about what we can and can't do to each other, and about how we feel, too…I think expressing how you feel will definitely help."

"Well then…can we talk? Because….I think I _am_ confused…."

"Of course we can talk…just say what's off the top of your mind right now."

"You are. Along with this very unusual feeling I have for you. It's warm, it…it sort of tickles…"

He laughed…^^. Just hearing such a magical sound…my breath almost caught for what must have been the millionth time.

"…it _burns_ too, though. It's intense. I've never felt _anything_ as powerfully as this. It's like a poison…only much more pleasant. It's an overdose of raw emotion. And if it could kill me, it _would_. But it's not cruel like that. It's gentler, and all it lets me think about is you…" I ran a hand through his hair, and I felt him lean into the caress, "Bo-chan…I don't know what's wrong with me…."

Ciel's eyes looked straight into mine, "Sebastian, there's nothing wrong with you…absolutely nothing. This feeling…there's a reason it's so strong. It's because it's coming straight from your heart, and because it's one of the best feelings there is. Love. Your body's going to want more and more of it now that you've had a taste."

"But…bo-chan…_how_ are you so _sure_…?"

"Sebastian…first off, you can call me 'Ciel'. I think the change in our relationship allows for that. Second off, I know because love is the only emotion that's so drug-like it can keep you from realizing you're feeling it. It's the only one you can wait your whole life to feel and the only one that can make you want to go through tolerating the same person for the rest of your life. _Please_, Sebastian…trust me…this is love if it makes you care for me and want me so much. It's love, there's nothing wrong with it, and it's _certainly_ not one-sided….I love you too."

I _never_ thought I would ever hear those words come from his mouth. And I _did_ trust him, because deep down…I knew he was right. Besides, how could I say I loved him if I _didn't_ trust him?

Sadly though, there were three crime sprees and two robberies begging for attention still.


	3. Chapter 3

"BO-CHAN! BO-CHAN! BOOO-CHAANN!"

*facepalm*

We recognized Maylene's voice with ease. I laid there with Ciel on top of me, wondering what she had done _this_ time and knowing she wouldn't just burst into…

Was it _Ciel's_ room, or _ours_?

Ciel met his eyes with mine, wondering if he should get the broom or the mop to clean up the mess.

"BO-CHAN! MAIL!"

We both knit our eyebrows. It wasn't like her to make such a big fuss over something so trivial. She knew better than to wake up the whole house for that.

"THE QUEEN'S NEW SERVANT DEVILERED IT HIMSELF! IT'S URGENT!"

So that's why all the commotion….

"Slide it under the door." Ciel reluctantly got up, and I felt the chilly air sap away all the heat his body had given me. But he was still here, and somehow that kept me warm inside.

He opened it, reading it, coming back over to me.

"Shoot…Sebby, we need to get going. The Queen's ordering us to track down the jewelry thief. Apparently, the stolen gems belong to a countess… the sooner we catch the culprit, the better. The jewelry could easily make it out onto the black market within days….Well," he looked up at me, our eyes meeting, "Let's go, Sebastian."

I was on my feet within seconds. Ciel hadn't undressed last night, so with a little straitening, we were ready to go.

-X-x-X-

The gates of Countess Blackwood's manor were huge, yet they still managed to move. I was surprised the staff didn't pull their muscles as they opened the iron doors, and was even mort surprised when they showed no signs of pain as they welcomed us. I drove the carriage up to the front door, not wanting my bo-chan to have to walk up the long front road through the expansive garden.

The servants let us in the house, and Countess Blackwood was already waiting in the parlor nearby.

"Please, please, Earl Phantomhive, sit, sit…welcome. As you know, I lost some precious pieces of jewelry. I have no idea what happened to them…"

"Well, when did you last see them?"

"Before my invitation-only ball in honor of my new engagement."

"And when did you notice they were missing?"

"A few days later…"

"Do you have a list of everyone who was invited?"

She turned to her butler, "Albert, go to my room and fetch it please. I believe it's in my desk somewhere."

"Yes, madam." And with that, her servant was gone.

I zoned out. Entirely. How many timed had Ciel done that to me? How many times did he order me to do something and wave me off without a second thought? And how many times had I simply left him to himself and did as I was told?

Why? If he didn't think of me as a servant, why did he do that? And if he thought of me as a servant after all, why did he tell me he loved me? Had his feelings changed only recently? Was it the kissing?

No…or he wouldn't have valued me over Elizabeth. But then, how much did he value her if he was willing to just push her out of his life without a second thought?

Why did this just now matter to me, anyway?

Was…was it just a fling for Ciel? Did he…not…really…love me?

Why did it matter…I wasn't even sure I loved him anyways, right? Demons can't love….

And Ciel had never loved after what happened to him on his birthday. He never opened up again.

So what happened the other night? And this morning?

_It sounds like you're just confused…._

Ciel's words rang like a bell of pure truth. I _was_. I _honestly_ was just _so _confused. The thought of an Earl lowering himself to his butler's level to take his butler as a lover was incredible enough, but _Ciel _coming to love anyone, none the less me, his _demonic _butler of all people…it was far-fetched, right?

But if he didn't love me, what was with him kissing me and telling me explicitly that he_ did_?

"Sebastian!... SEBASTIAN!"

My bo-chan's voice finally stirred me from my brooding.

"B-…Bo-chan!...I'm _so_ sorry…I'm _so_ sorry, I was…lost in thought. I'm sorry." I dared to meet his eyes.

"About what?" He knit his eyebrows at me. I could barely pick up an undertone of concern in his voice.

"N…Nothing. I'm sorry."

"Well, we're done here anyways, right, Miss Blackwood?"

"Are you sure you have enough information?" She looked cynical.

"Yes. I 'm sure. Let's go, Sebastian."

Oh great. _Just…great_. I had missed the _entire_ conversation. I had paid _zero_ attention to something Ciel would be _all over_ for the next few days.

-X-x-X-

I opened the front door of the manor for him, and we went up the stairs. I opened his bedroom door and he went straight to his desk, just as I knew he would. He always did when he was handling an investigation.

He folded his hands together. I was about to leave.

"Sebastian."

His voice startled me, "Yes, bo-chan?"

"I thought I said you could call me Ciel? Or was your attention elsewhere then, too?"

I bowed my head in pure shame and regret, even though it was him on my mind, "Bo-ch…_Ciel_, I'm…I'm sorry…I just…I got distracted. I'm sorry it happened and I swear I'll do everything in my power to stop it from happening again."

"What distracted you?" he said it with almost no tone to his voice. Just the undertone of an upset parent, almost.

"…*sigh*….I…I saw the way Countess Blackwood ordered around her butler…like he was nothing to her…and it got me thinking…about us…and how you've treated me."

"S-Sebastian…if our relationship's going to get in the way of your professionalism, we're going to have to do something about it…" he got up out of his desk and he framed my face with his palms, fingertips gently skimming my ears, "but…Sebastian…I really don't want to.…I like where our relationship is right now. I don't want to stop loving you." He rested his head on my chest, nuzzling it almost, seeming to love the warmth.

"But, bo-chan, Ciel, that's just it…!" I said it a bit more dramatically, more angrily than I had intended. Ciel's frightened eyes met my gaze. "I'm _still_ confused! I've _never_ felt this before, and I've never seen you love before either! I have _no_ idea if this is really love or what! After all the times you sent me off, ordered me, knowing I might not survive to finish the order...-"

"Sebastian…" Ciel's eyes changed, almost upset, "I did that for _you_. I told you what to do so you wouldn't suffer having me confess that I loved you but having to turn me down, so you wouldn't have the social order turned upside down on you. So you wouldn't bear the burden of knowing I loved you and being pressured into saying you loved me back." His eyes narrowed a bit, but not dangerously, "Sebby, I did all that for _you_. Because I thought it was best for you and because I trusted you could come out of all those orders alive…because I believed in you and cared about you…."

A tear threatened to stream down his face, and my thumb gently moved to brush it aside.

He loved me. There was no doubting it now. He would never do so much for someone, even to the point where he was putting aside his own emotions just to make sure he wasn't hindering someone, unless he really did love them with his entire soul.

And I admit, the pressure was on. If I turned him down, he would never love again. I was the one person he dared to bloom for, and if I cut him down just as he blossomed, he'd never even bud for anyone else ever again. And I couldn't devastate him like that. I couldn't accept his heart like I had only to crush it between my fingers.

But he'd never want my love unless I genuinely loved him in return, and I'd never want to give myself to anyone I didn't love. I'd never want to toy with Ciel's heart and lie through my teeth every time I said I loved him.

_Isn't this care for him a sign of love?_

I held him against my chest, feeling his arms tight around my waist.

"Sebastian…would you be okay if another man kissed me?"

"What? No!"

"And if someone insulted me, would you make them apologize?"

"Yes…"

"And if I started cutting myself, you'd stop me and cradle me and tell me everything was fine?"

"If that's what made you stop hurting yourself,…if it made you feel secure, loved, and cared about…absolutely."

"Sebastian…you're jealous, protective, and you care about me. I'd say this is love so far. You've always shown that you're willing to die before you let harm come to me…and….Sebastian…?"

"Yes?"

"…Do you like what you see…when I bathe?"

My breath caught…just picturing him without his normal modest clothing….

"I…I…I don't know how to answer that."

"Sebastian…it's okay if you do. If you think I look better without clothes on. That's part of love."

He leaned up, kissing my cheek.

"I love you Sebastian. But I won't pressure you. And I can't convince you that you love me if you don't see the clues on your own." He took his arms from around my waist and sat at his desk.

"Sit down. I think I need to fill you in on what you missed."

**_X_X_**

**I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO POST CHAPTER THREE! SO SORRY! PLZ DON'T HURT MEH!**


	4. Chapter 4

Ciel meant business. I could see it in the way his whole body straightened out, and the way his eyes lost that tender gleam.

"So, apparently, Miss Blackwood was engaged before. Her ex-fiancée was Edward Andrews, and it doesn't seem they parted too happily. None the less, she did invite him to her party in an attempt to make peace with him. So far, I think we have suspect number 1. He was probably upset that the Countess had left him and got engaged with another man within a week, and decided to take one of her most valuable treasures to make her less wealthy and less attractive as a future wife. He has the most motive, and with everyone else on the list being close friends of either the countess or her new fiancée, Benjamin Ackerly, I think he'd be the one with the most opportunity. He'd also presumably know the way to her bedroom. But we'll need a way to place him at the crime scene. If he's sold the gems, we'll have no proof."

This was the scheming, dark, serious Ciel I had observed for all these years…the one who was down to business to the point of being cold….

The Ciel who bore scars and distrust was still there. Part of me was happy that I hadn't lost my old bocchan, and I was certainly happy that his tough outer shell would protect him. I had to admit, having seen that there was a sweet, happy side to him…it didn't make it seem so bad to have him serious. In fact, in moderation, this was a rather attractive, powerful side of him. If he was as sweet as he was lately, he'd wear out my sweet tooth for good…and I'd never want that.

"Now then, we should get to questioning him immediately. But we need to track him down and find out where he is. We should make a few phone calls and I should begin a letter to the Queen assuring her that we've begun to make headway on this case."

I let a smile fix itself on my face. He was almost cute when he was like this.

"I'll take care of the phone calls, bocchan. To his home no doubt? And I should be sure to ask about his associates and friends?"

"Yes. While you do that, I'll handle the paperwork." A small smirk even inched its way onto Ciel's face.

We both knew he was probably the culprit. And we both knew that if he was, we'd get him _very_ soon.

-x-X-x-

"So, he'd probably be at the bar? And if not that, the lounge?"

'_Yes, probably. I mean, he could be out to town, but he's usually at the bar. And if he's not there, his friends usually take him to Sebastian's Lounge downtown."_

I cringed. WHY did it just have to have MY name? I _didn't want_ to share names with it….

"Okay, thank you. My master and I will be tracking him down shortly." I couldn't help but smile. She had no idea how literally I meant that.

'_Okay then…bye!"_

"Bye." I finally got to hang up.

"So, where is he?" Ciel asked, fully expecting me to know.

"Either at The Aristocrat's Pub or…at a lounge downtown."

"…which lounge?"

"S…." I looked over to him, "S…Sebastian's Lounge."

Total silence.

"…Oh wow." Ciel dared to reply.

"…Yeah. I swear, I do _not_ own the lounge, and I'm not in any way tied to it."

"I never thought you were." Ciel said it sincerely.

-X-x-X-

Here we were. The Aristocrat's Pub.

Ciel walked right in like this wasn't a place that served alcohol, and I followed suit.

And just like he always did, he got right down to business, walking right up to the bartender.

"Benjamin Ackerly. Do you know him?"

The bartender squinted at him, "…Are…are you…Ciel Phantomhive?"

"Yes, I am. Now then, where's Benjamin Ackerly? Is he here?"

"Um…" the bartender looked around, scanning the crowd, "I don't see him, but he was here earlier. His friends must have come to pick him up early today."

Ciel looked at me before turning his attention to the bartender again, "Thanks for your trouble then. We'll be going. We have a good idea where he is."

We left the bar. Ciel looked at me expectantly.

"So, where's your lounge?"

I almost glared at him. _NOT…funny._

He just smirked, "Well, come on. Up the street or down? We better get going before he leaves there too. If he's on an early schedule that could be a bit problematic."

I _had _bothered t ask for directions, but I let Ciel follow me rather than waste our time going over them. Going there as soon as possible could be vital. The streets were a maze, but at least they were well-organized. Finding 331 Stillgate Drive wasn't too difficult.

I went in, doing my best to ignore the name coincidence and playing it cool.

Ciel made the same direct approach as before.

"Benjamin Ackerly. Where is he?"

The bartender pointed out a short man with brown hair and a tailored suit sitting at a table with his back to the large wall of windows.

"Thank you." Ciel went and sat down at a table close to him but still far enough to go unnoticed.

"Bocchan, what are you doing?" I whispered, confused.

"Sebastian, if we go after him now, we'll cause a huge commotion with no proof he's our culprit to give us an excuse to arrest him. If we sit, wait, and see who he interacts with, he just might hand over the jewelry with us watching and we'll have the proof. Just lay low and wait for the right moment."

My brain blew a circuit.

_Too_…_much….Can't handle all of this…._ He had schemed beyond even my level. The bocchan I knew was back, and seeing how he could go unchanged other than finally learning to be happy….My mind had been so stressed…. So confused for so long….

What was going on?

"Sebastian?" Ciel pulled on my coat sleeve as he whispered.

My circuits exploded like mini-bombs in my mind.

"Sebastian. Are you zoning out again?" He hissed the whisper this time.

"N-no, Ciel…I…just…my mind is blown right now…."

"What?" he said it like he didn't believe it.

"I…I can't focus."

Ciel's eyes were attracted back in Mr. Ackerly's direction, and they widened.

"Sebastian…I don't think you'll need to."

"Huh?"

He pointed to Mr. Ackerly, and three other men suddenly took seats beside him. I watched as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a square, brown-paper-wrapped object. He unfurled the paper onto the table, and I heard Ciel stand up as soon as he saw the jewelry inside.

"Benjamin Ackerly! You are under arrest for the theft of Countess Blackwood's jewelry. Most of her family's worth was in them, and you're to hand them over _immediately_." Ciel held out his hand, waiting for the gems, "Sebastian, call the police."

"Sebastian? Do you own this place?" someone piped up.

"No!" I stormed off to the phone without a care for who asked.

**-x-x-**

**Sorry for making Ciel out of character. Some of you commented that he was, and you're right that he was sort of off, and while I was trying to display a new side of him, I think I almost abandoned his true nature in doing so. Srry…T.T**

**On the plus side, TWO CHAPTERS IN 13 HOURS! And yet only ½ an hour spent on summer reading….**

**T.T Why are my priorities never what's best for me?**


	5. Chapter 5

Finalizing the arrest wasn't difficult. Neither was notifying the Queen that Countess Blackwood had gotten her jewelry returned. What _was_ difficult, though, was Ciel.

I once again found myself seated in front of his desk.

"What happened back there? You practically lost your marbles…if we had to puzzle out a new lead, you would have been useless."

"I think I had a brain melt-down. You know I've been confused lately, and I think that's the problem. Puzzling things out has taken up so much of my time that I think my brain just quit on me. I'm sorry…."

Ciel reached over and took my hand in his, "Sebastian, it's not your fault. But I think this is something that needs serious attention and that you need serious help with. If you can't handle this, I can help." he let a pause grow a little, "Do you think you can look at some facts with me?"

I put my left elbow on his desk and rested my head in my palm, sighing, "Considering how this is just gonna be one of those talks where my feelings are on the table, I think I need to be here to provide the facts."

Ciel placed his fee hand with his other, cupping my right hand, "Well then, start talking. How do you feel about me?"

I had to take a pause, my mind downloading the information as fast as it could, "I like you as a person. You're serious, down-to-earth, and you get the job done. I always protect you, but I'm okay with that. Even if I didn't have to, I think it would be instinctual for me to. You're so precious to me…I don't know what I'd do without you. I was supposed to eat your soul after all of that mess with Ash…er…Angela… whatever. I ferried you to the gates of Death…but I couldn't do it. I knew I'd never be whole without you. I'd get lonely without you…you're my reason for living the way I do, instead of the way other demons do. I don't want to show you that side. You've already seen so much that scars your mind and your eyes….More than anything, I want to be there for you. I want to comfort you, hold you close, hug you…"

Ciel took this in with a serious look that barely allowed for the small smile on his lips, "Sebastian…" his eyes met mine, "That feeling is definitely love…the feeling where I'm your world, where I'm everything to you…but there was a question I asked you earlier, a few days ago…that you never answered." He got out of his chair, came around his desk, and set his knee at the back of my chair. I stirred a bit, and he slipped his remaining knee by my other side, slowly lowering himself onto my thighs and gripping the back of my chair, "Sebastian…of all the questions I asked you so far…this one is by far one of the most important." he inched his face closer to me, "Sebastian…do you want me undressed?"

My breath caught in my throat. Again. I couldn't answer. Ciel waited for a response, but he realized he wasn't getting one. I watched as he slowly started to undo his jacket, slipping it off and letting it fall to the floor. He slid his fingers into my hair, pulling me close, and our lips met once again. He pressed his chest into mine, and I could feel his breathing slowly spiraling out of control.

Gingerly, I slipped a hand onto his side, and I felt his fingers on my cheek as he brought his other hand to my face with a gentle sliding caress. Both of his hands slowly trailed down my throat and onto my chest, undoing the buttons of my shirt and loosening my tie on the way down. I heard him start unbuttoning his shirt too as his hands left my chest. He gently pushed his bare chest against mine, and I felt his heartbeat drumming against mine. The beat was so fast…his body was so warm…I had been wanting this, _needing _this for so long….

He backed away a bit, our lips parting. I was desperate, leaning into him and pulling his lips to mine like my life depended on it.

He put his hand on my chest, pushing a bit. I got the message and received it sadly: he wanted it to stop.

He was smiling when I met his eyes though…_smiling!_

"Sebastian…I got my answer." The gleam in his eye and his rapid breathing were features I never expected to see.

"BOOCCHAAN! BOCCHAN! MAIL!"

Our moment had once again been interrupted, but for some reason, the mood wasn't dampened. He kissed me one more time before the letter came sliding under the door.

-X-x-X-

"So, we're here. The sight of the bank robbery. We should start asking around, right, bocchan?"

Ciel nodded, "First we should get the story directly from the teller. We'll get the _best _description from _her_. The reports said fifth window down, at only half an hour ago…so let's see if the current teller is the one who was on shift at the time."

I followed as he approached the teller, "Excuse me…miss…" poor him…his shoulders barely reached the counter, even with his high-heels on, "There was a robbery here a few days ago, right?"

Her eyes widened, "Oh my…y-you're…Ciel Phantomhive! Um, yes, there was a robbery…" she tried to collect herself, "in fact, I was the teller who was forced to give up the money. She…he looked so weird."

"The more unique, the better for us." I smiled.

"Well, then…good. Because she was pretty unique. Long, blood-red hair with a pink-ish tint, and eyes like amber…glasses too, and she must have been a dental nightmare-God, her _teeth! Strait from a shark!_ And what's worse is the police can't find a girl like that! She's 'not on record'!"

My heart stopped dead in its tracks. This sounded just like-

"Um…are you sure it was a she? Because we've seen a male who may look like a girl at first that matches that description."

"That was a 'he'? Well…now that you mention it, that explains the slightly flat chest and deep voice for a woman…um…actually, I guess it would have been possible…"

"If that's the case, we know exactly who it was. Bocchan, let's go. This is going to be a pain. We should get to work. He won't be easy to catch."

-x-X-x-

"William?"

'_Yes? Who is it?'_

"Sebastian. Listen, how's Grell Sutcliff been? What's he up to?"

'_Oh…Ciel's butler….Um…uh…drooling over a certain person, that's all…'_

"Do you know who?" I barely restrained my annoyance.

'_Um…y-yes…'_

"Name, please."

'_Se-…Sebastian.'_

"…"

'…'

"So, has he been up to anything earlier? Say, a few days ago? Did anything unusual happen?"

'_Not really…why?'_

"Consider him a suspect in a bank robbery case."

'_WHAT?...Great. Just _great._ I already took away his Death Scythe…I'm gonna have to ban him entirely from capturing souls if it turns out to be him.'_

"Well, start the paperwork now before you get flooded with it later."

'_You're _ that _sure?'_

"Yes."

'_*sigh* Alright…I'll get to work.'_

"Bye. Talk to you later. I'll notify you if we find out it's him."

'_But I thought you said you were SURE?'_

"I _am _sure." I hung up the phone.

"Any leads? Any evidence?" Ciel asked like an eager puppy.

"Nope. But it's him. We should at least interrogate him. If it's not, I'm going to be baffled that there's someone else out there who looks that much like him. Scared that there is, too."

Ciel chuckled, and I couldn't resist joining in.

**-X-X-**

**Sorry if the crimes seem a bit easy, but this is romance, not mystery, so I hope you guys don't mind…^^*nervous laugh***

**Anyway, WOOT! I spent all day on it, but chapter five is DONE! Onto chapter six…(and maybe a little summer reading…eventually…*cringe*).**


	6. Chapter 6

I opened the bedroom door for my Bocchan, closing it after we both came in and sliding my back down the door as I slowly crouched in front of it, hugging my knees, fully aware that I was in an upright version of the fetal position.

Ciel sat in his chair, both of us freezing in place after reaching our final sitting position, the day having taken a strong toll on us.

"I cannot believe we spent the whole day going over police records and searching the entire city of London for someone who looks like Grell. The only thing even close to a hit was when Grell himself went into the women's 'intimate apparel' store a few blocks down the road. And that doesn't even count as a hit 'cause it was actually him." Ciel said it slowly, deliberately.

"I cannot believe he actually bought something too…oh GOD I _hope_ he's not going to try to wait in bed for me or something like that…."

"No…Pluto's a nuisance, but a good guard dog. Grell won't make it in with Pluto in his way. Besides, I want you to continue the new pattern of sleeping beside me. It comforts me to know you're near, and I know it does the same for you. You need a good night's sleep to keep your mind sharp. And I think we can be under the sheets together now…our relationship's gotten strong enough for that."

"You realize that I haven't been in my own room for almost three days."

"Your room is small, and you never have any company when you're in it. Worse, Grell has women's undergarments. Do you really want to be in your room right now?"

I thought for a minute, "…Good point."

"Yeah. Exactly."

"Anyway though, Grell's a shinigami. How are we gonna tie him down to the robbery?"

"The Queen's in on the whole shinigami deal. Her butler used to be an angel. All that matters is that we let her know that our culprit's a shinigami, and then the shinigami can deal with him. It might be a bit of a hassle, but I think it'll be manageable."

"…ok…"

"Sebastian, is your brain broken _again_?"

"_No!_…..Maybe…..…Ok,_ fine_, sort of."

He gave me a skeptical stare.

"…._Ok, ok_, I give….it _is_. I just can't believe Grell bought _women's_ underclothing. I'm sorry, but that seriously concerns me."

"Well, let's give Will a call and tell him to bring Grell in for questioning. If we can then report to the Queen that this is a shinigami matter, he should wind up being punished by his fellow shinigami, and the matter should be put to rest."

"You think it'll be that simple?"

"It should be, and if it's not, we'll have to iron out the rough spots as we go."

I got up and went over to his phone, taking extra care not to mess up as I dialed Will's phone number.

"Will, it's me, Sebastian."

'_Oh…good. Um, listen, Grell…something's wrong with him. He's really lost it now. He's wearing corsets, petticoats,…I honestly can't believe my eyes."_

"Yeah…Ciel and I saw him go into a store that sold those kinds of things."

'_He said he wants _you_ to see them. If I were you, I'd be _very_ afraid. I think I've nearly gone _blind_ just looking at them for a few minutes.'_

"I'm sorry for your loss of sight. Tell him to get dressed. He's going to be questioned."

'_Oh my gosh THANK YOU! _THANK YOU_! I can _finally_ give him a reason to put some clothes on!'_

"Yes, you can. Bring him to the police station on the west side of London, ok?"

'_Yes, ok…*muffled: GRELL! GRELLL! GET DRESSED! NOW! YOU"VE GOT SOMEWHERE TO GO!*'_

I hung up, hearing Will do so just before me.

_Oh my god Grell…what the hell have you done?_

-x-X-x-

The air…was _so #!%#**!%!$#*X.X-ing cold!_

Couldn't this have waited until _tomorrow morning_? _Why_ did I have to be here _now, _in the middle of the _freaking night?_

"B-bbb-b-bocchan-n…"

"Yes, Sebastian?"

"I-it's…cc-c-c-cCOLD!"

"I don't see a problem with the temperature…"

I shut up and just gave him my death glare. Sadly, I must have been slipping. No effect on him at all, dang it!

_Why_ weren't they here yet? The cold was bad, but still…they shouldn't be too slowed up by it…

Though, there was snow and such…

I looked at my watch:

10 minutes out in the cold.

11…16…21…22…26…32…39….

Will was _late_?

_Impossible._ That tight-neck would never slip up like this.

41. 51. _61. 65._

"B-b-b-bocchan….something's w-w-wrong…they're more than an hour late…."

Ciel kept up his stern, piercing gaze, "They might have had snow trouble. Grell trouble even."

"I-I've been s-st-standing out here in the f-freakin-f-fREEZING snow for more than an HOUR! I'm going HOME if they don't show up soon!"

Ciel didn't reply. He kept his gaze on the snowy road behind us.

My death glare fixed itself on an innocent tree as I waited for the shinigamis.

I heard footsteps. Ciel gasped, and when I looked down at him, his eyes were widened with…fear?

I turned around.

Grell stood there, blood dripping off him. A smirk rested firmly on his lips. Slowly, he pulled out a heart-shaped bottle with a red-ish, hot pink liquid in it.

"Sebas-chan…guess what I hid with the 650 pounds I stole? I bought a _love_ potion from the Undertaker! And corsets to _die_ for!^^ All I had to do was take care of my escort to the police station…unfortunately, I got a little lost..."

I don't even remember how, but soon enough, we were being dragged back home to the Phantomhive Estate by our hair, and if the cold wasn't painful enough, and enflamed scalp was.

-X-x-X-

Grell dragged us all the way into my master's room, tying my master up like the rope was a cocoon, and tying me to the bedpost by my wrists.

Immediately, I did NOT like where this was going. Grell had me tied up, and part of me knew without having to ask that what he had on under his clothes was something I'd be forced to see.

I just hoped for Ciel's sake this didn't take a turn for the worst. I was in love with him, I was sure of it now. The only person I ever wanted to tie me up was Ciel. The only person I wanted to kiss, check out, or feel up was Ciel. The only person I wanted to give myself to was my all-to-precious bocchan, and I sincerely hoped that he felt the same.

Grell pulled the 'love potion' out of his pocket.

"Open up Sebas-chan. This stuff is going to be potent." He_ smiled_. Grell actually _smiled_.


	7. Chapter 7

Grell pried my mouth open. I tried not to swallow. I tried not to drink. But it made it past my lips and Grell squeezed my throat, forcing me to down it.

There wasn't any change in me as the potion slipped down my throat. I didn't feel any more attracted to Grell, any more compelled to be with him, and seeing him didn't make my heart melt and swell the way it did when I saw Ciel. I had expected my heart to be set on fire. But it was as icy as usual around Grell.

Grell looked at me, shocked, as if he sensed that there was no change. He looked at the bottle, at how all of the bright-red/pink liquid had gone down my throat. And he started reading the label.

"DOESN'T WORK ON THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY IN LOVE?" The murder in his eyes glowed red-hot and ready to burst with rage.

My breath caught. He was going to. He was going to find out that I loved Ciel and he was going to murder my bocchan in front of me. Oh my God... this was NOT happening, this was NOT happening... someone would show up, someone would protect Ciel... someone would help my baby boy or somehow I'd escape these ropes. Something would happen. I was NOT going to let Grell hurt Ciel.

"Who is it? _Who_ are you in love with?"

I didn't reply.

"Who? WHO? Sebastian, you tell me _now _or I_ swear I'll kill _your master!"

"W...what will you do to my lover?"

"I'll give them _a piece of my mind, that's _what!"

A piece of his mind? That could be dangerous..._very_ dangerous... Either way Ciel was in for trouble.

My eyes disobeyed me, pleading with Ciel for forgiveness as I glanced at him.

Grell was still, silent. But I knew it. He had seen me glance at Ciel. This was just the eye of his storm. Grell knew, and Ciel was in mortal danger.

My heart raced as Grell slowly and deliberately moved from the bed.

"No! _No!_ Grell! Grell, _no_! NOO! _NOOO!_" I twisted and turned, struggling against the ropes pinnning me to the bed. I heard Grell's scissor-like Death Scythe open with the hiss of metal on metal, "NOOOOO! Grell, NOOO!" my heartbeat was gettting deafening. My wrists grew red as the rope burned them, and I struggled to reach my hands through the bindings. Ciel needed me, now more than ever. I _had_ to help him. I _had _to do something. _NOW._

"CIEL!" I struggled, wishing my wrists would bleed and break if that was what it took to save my bocchan.

My heart almost stopped as Ciel started to scream. Grell had started to cut him. My entire body stalled, never having heard a sound like Ciel's scream before.

It took me all of five seconds to figure out it was a sound I _never_ wanted to hear again.

As suddenly as I had stilled, I was struggling again. I had never felt like this before. I wasn't even in control of myself as the ropes dug into my wrists, and I didn't even feel the pain as I tore them free at last. I let my fingers coil around the way-way-too-long red hair and massive idiot attached to it, trowing it out the window without remorse.

I held my lover in my arms. Grell made a long cut going down his forearms, and he had snipped at the underside of his upper arms. His stomach was almost entirely cut oopen. Ciel was going to bleed to death if I didn't do something. Grell had severed major arteries, and the stomach wound was gushing blood with a good chance of being infected even if he survived to try and heal it. His neck had scratching on it, Grell having tried to cut his carotid arteries as well.

Ciel's eyes met mine. I knew he only had a few minutes left to live unless I turned him.

"Ciel...do you want to spend forever with me? To never have to leave my side? Will you love me for eternity?"

Ciel looked at me like he was confused and didn't understand why I was asking, "Sebastian...of course..."

Gently, I moved his head to the side, exposing his neck. I tried to sink my fangs in gently.

Ciel gasped, still in my arms and barelt breathing as I slowly devoured his soul.

_Only half...he tastes _so _good...he's incredible...but _only_ half..._only _half... If I don't do this right I'll only hurt him more._

I slowly pulled my fangs from his neck, making sure only half his soul was gone.

I felt the change in his body almost immediately. Slowly, his wounds started to seal. His body replenished its lost blood with ease, and ever so slowly he sat up, putting his arms around my neck.

"S...Sebastian...what...what's happening?" he asked it quietly.

"I ate half of your soul. When a human's soul gets eaten half way, they turn into a demon for a while. But if they obtain enough of a body fluid of any kind from the demon that...'snacked' on them, shall we say, the change becomes permanent."

Our conversation was interrupted as footsteps came from the window.

"That wasn't very nice of you Sebastian...throwing a pure maiden out the window like that."

Ciel took his arms from around my neck and stood in front of me, putting himself in Grell's path, "Grell...get out of my house. Now. And _don't_ come back. You've troubled Sebastian enough. You think you _love_ him? _Please. _If you loved him, his smile would be all that mattered to you. All you'd want is for him to be safe and happy, even if it meant letting him love someone else. You'd never do anything to hurt him, and you'd never want to trouble him. Now get out before I _make_ you leave."

_...If you love someone, all that matters to you is their smile..._

"You and what army?" Grell hissed, "You're just a _pathetic_ little _human_! Why would Sebastian _ever_ love you over me?"

Ciel put his hands on Grell's sides before lifting him clean off the floor, "Because I'm actually _reasonable_, unlike _some_ people." Ciel started walking towards the balcony.

Ciel paused, surprised as he picked up the sound of footsteps in the distance. Grell struggled in Ciel's grip.

Will showed up on the balcony of Ciel's room, followed by a few shinigami I didn't recognize.

"Here. Take him and go." Ciel handed Grell over to Will.

"You never answered my question, Phantomhive! How do you know Sebastian loves you?"

Ciel smirked, pulling down his collar and showing Grell the bite mark, "Because he tasted me, but he didn't let my taste ruin his self-control. Why would a demon do that for a human they didn't love? Not only that, you think you'd be the first person he pawed over if that potion worked? Sorry._ I_ took that title _days_ ago."

Grell finally shut up, and with a few puzzled glances from the shinigami as they left, we were finally left to ourselves.

Ciel turned to me as I stood up, and I put my arms around his waist, pulling him in.

"Guess what, Bocchan?"

"What?"

"I love you. I know it now. I started to loose my doubt that I did when Grell tied me up, but now I'm 100% certian. I know why I fell in love with you that day. It's because I really did love your smile, and I wanted to see more of it so badly...because you're right. Your smile is all that matters to me, next to you yourself."

I felt Ciel look up, "Sebastian...I want to stay with you. For as long as possible. I don't know how I lived without you before, but I don't think I can now. So...I want this change to be permanent. I want to be a demon."

"C-Ciel...I made a contract with the _human_ earl named Ciel Phantomhive. The _demon_ earl named Ciel phantomhive...well...let's just say he's not exactly covered by our contract."

"That's fine. I don't want to limit you to the position of my servant anymore."

"Also, bocchan...when you become a demon, you'll get a special bond with your sire, in this case, _me_. Our very souls will be stitched together. And as your soul starts to grow back, the bond will only get stronger. Your mental privacy will be limited. Especially if i mark you as my lover the way demons do."

"I don't mind, Sebastian. I want to be close to you. If you don't mind, I don't. So unless you've got a better reason for not making me a demon, I say we go for it."

I smiled, feeling even more assured of our love with how readily he gave up his privacy, and knowing this would be the last time Ciel heard these words, "Yes, my lord."


End file.
